Actress Sharon Farrell of ‘It’s Alive’ and ‘Marlowe’ Dies at 82
Sharon Farrell was also known for her roles in the films ‘The Stunt Man’ and ‘Lone Wolf McQuade’ as well as the TV shows ‘Hawaii Five-O’ and ‘The Young and the Restless’.
Sharon Farrell, an actress known for her roles in films like It’s Alive, Marlowe, and The Reivers, passed away unexpectedly on May 15th at the age of 82. According to her son, she died of natural causes in an Orange County hospital.
In It’s Alive (1974), Farrell played the mother of a murderous infant. She also had notable supporting roles opposite James Garner in Marlowe (1969) and Steve McQueen in The Reivers (1969). Some of her other well-known films include The Stunt Man (1980) as a movie hairstylist, Lone Wolf McQuade (1983) as Chuck Norris’ ex-wife, and Can’t Buy Me Love (1987) as the mother of Amanda Peterson’s cheerleader character.
On television, Sharon Farrell had a recurring role as Detective Lori Wilson in the final season of CBS’ Hawaii Five-O in 1979-1980. She also played Florence Webster, mother of Nina Webster (Tricia Cast), on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless from 1991-1997.
In the 1974 horror film It’s Alive, Farrell played Lenore Davis, a mother trying to protect her monstrous infant who is murdering people. The film was written and directed by Larry Cohen with special effects makeup by Rick Baker.
Some of her other notable roles included playing Orfamay Quest in Marlowe (1969), who hires private eye Philip Marlowe (James Garner), and the love interest of Steve McQueen’s character in The Reivers (1969), directed by Mark Rydell.
Sharon Forsmoe was born on Christmas Eve 1940 in Sioux City, Iowa. She started as a ballet dancer with the American Ballet Company and worked in a production of Oklahoma! before moving to New York where she modeled and acted.
Farrell made her film debut alongside Elaine Stritch in Kiss Her Goodbye (1959). In 1960 she danced on Broadway in There Was a Little Girl with Jane Fonda and Dean Jones.
In 1962 she starred with Nick Adams in the short-lived NBC drama Saints and Sinners and appeared with Tony Curtis and Suzanne Pleshette in the comedy 40 Pounds of Trouble.
Over the decades, Farrell guest starred on many TV shows including My Favorite Martian, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Wild Wild West, The F.B.I., The Six Million Dollar Man, McCloud, Police Woman, Matlock, and JAG.
Other films in Sharon Farrell’s career included A Lovely Way to Die (1968), Not With My Wife, You Don’t! (1966), the Jacqueline Susann adaptation The Love Machine (1971), and Night of the Comet (1984).
According to the 2018 biography Bruce Lee: A Life, Farrell was involved in a love triangle with Lee and Steve McQueen that prevented them from working together on a film.
Farrell had relationships with actors like Andrew Prine and John F. Boyer, but never married. As her son noted, “That’s something they do in Hollywood, to say that they’re married.”
Farrell is survived by her son Chance Boyer, who acted in TV shows like Harry and the Hendersons and General Hospital, and films like Arachnophobia. She also leaves behind her grandson Wayde and daughter-in-law Mandi.
